Hello friends, I've missed you! My schedule this past year has been on on overload and in case you haven't heard via instagram, I've been in NYC editing and writing a book with Melissa Lee, who does amazing healing work and am developing ways that her work will incorporate art therapy into the mix. I've also been attending the Art Students League of New York full time and getting away on the weekends, so there hasn't been much time to check in here. I'm going to do my best to blog a bit more the rest of this summer, I pinky swear.

Before we get to the Jitney of Happiness, first a quick announcement: my instagram, twitter and pinterest accounts have all changed from trustyourstyle to my name, Mary Jo Matsumoto. If you already follow me, you don't need to do anything. And if you're not...please do! Instagram is the one place I try and show up regularly. Also my business Facebook account will be closing in a week as I always forget to check it, but I'd love it if you'd join me on my personal Facebook.

Okay, so today is all about how not to pack for a long weekend like me. If you're smart, you will bring this glorious Tammy Fender Treatment Kit with you.

I am the hugest Tammy Fender fan - this luxury line of organic skin care is in a league of it's own - think lavender, baby soft skin and delicious in every way. (I really love a beauty product if I go to the bother of keeping it in the refrigerator the way I do with my jar of Tammy Fender Spontaneous Recovery Cream). This kit is called the Teenage Treatment Kit, and I think it's perfect for travel because skin seems to act up the most when we're traveling. It contains travel size Purifying Cleansing Gel, Essential C Tonic, Clarifying Dermagel, Antioxidant Creme, Epi-Peel and Bulgarian Lavender Body Oil.

So there you have it, this is the one and only travel kit that I feel good talking about. I get pitched a lot about including products for summer travel posts...and for the most part I decline as I really am the world's worst packer. Are you thinking, how annoying, she of the private bell boy and stacks of LV luggage? I wish! Despite my best intentions, so far on my summer excursions I have arrived without a toothbrush, sweater or phone charger.

For example, here is what I took with me for a weekend in the Hamptons a couple of weeks ago.

The watercolors made it. The sweater did not. What actually arrived with me besides art supplies was a beach towel and my Laguna Shimmer leather tote filled with beauty products. Again, I'm not recommending this course of action, but 10 years as a beauty editor will make you do crazy things. No lie, this is what made the cut, left to right:

Ibiza Detangling Comb - it's the best hair tool ever (except for Ibiza brushes) and I decided I didn't need a brush at the beach (not sure that decision was the right one).

Murad Invisible Perfecting Shield SPF30 - I know you see the SPF overkill happening but I warned you about my packing skills and you never know when you're going to need the specially formulated blurring effect, especially on vacation!

I got this Wildfox I Took the Jitney sweatshirt in the Hamptons and was really happy about it (except for the part where I was really really cold on the Jitney.) If you've never heard of the Jitney then you must read this. Personally I did not sit next to Marc Jacobs, although that would've been nice. I left super early in the morning and opened one eye to see that my seat mate was wearing khaki shorts embroidered with whales and promptly went to sleep. However he was very nice and offered me his Wall Street Journal when I woke up. As you can probably surmise, my news most days comes from PureWow and not the WSJ, so the Jitney even stimulates the intellect if you're so inclined.

Wishing you a wonderful July!

p.s. Are you a good packer? Please tell me your best packing tips in the comments below as I hope to one day reform!

Andrew Wyeth painted Christina's World in 1948 and it was quickly snapped up by MOMA where it received little critical attention because of the momentum of abstract expressionism, but became one of the most well loved paintings of the mid-twentieth century. It's been said almost everyone in the U.S. knew someone who had a print of this painting hanging in their home.

Wyeth never considered himself to be the quintessential American painter, as he was often labeled."I'm no more that than the man in the moon. I've created my own world the way I want it. I can't even tell you why I painted Christina's World. That's how elusive it is in my mind."

The painting was inspired when Wyeth watched from a window as his neighbor, Christina Olson, who had suffered from polio, pulled herself across a field. At the time, she was 55, so the actual drawing/torso of the body was based on Wyeth's wife Betsy. According to Wyeth, every blade of grass was separately painted because, "I wanted "to make the grass come toward you, a surge of earth, like the whole planet. I was building the planet that she was finally going to exist in - a living being there on a hill whose grass was really growing.
I can honestly say that being crippled was not the part that made Christina remarkable to me. I didn't realize her arms were thin until I began painting her. Dignity is the thing. The dignity of Christina Olson. One of the strongest personalities I've ever known. When you get next to something as mammoth as Christina, all the dirt and grime and slight things evaporate. I never had a feeling of decay. I felt centuries in the past. You see before you the power of the queen of Sweden sitting there. Just being there she rules Cushing from that house, everything subordinated to her."

TAMMY FENDER OR DATE CREAM
Inspired by the mystery of Christina's World and the question of what makes something beautiful, I had to include Tammy Fender's ridiculously amazing all-in-one cream/serum/fusion that's been called 'the most powerful product ever put on the skin', otherwise known as Spontaneous Recover Cream. One hundred percent organic like all of Tammy Fender's products, I call this heavenly concoction "date cream" because it should really be reserved for special occasions--that's how good it is (although I wear it every day and prefer it to dozens of other fabulous creams in my cabinet). Scented with therapeutic grade lavender essential oil, it smells heavenly, has the perfect consistency and this little jar of miracles makes your skin look and feel dewey and wonderful!

THE BRETT BROW COLLECTION
Right up there with acquiring a to-die-for face cream is mastering the perfect brow. Ladies, if you've ever tried to do this then you know it can be more elusive than understanding the true meaning of Christina's World. Fortunately Brett Freedman, the man behind many famed brows, including Brooke Shields, Jane Fonda, Reba McEntire and a whole slew of Hollywood beauties, has created a kit that makes his motto of 'kicking some arch' a reality. His new collection of brow shaping products just launched this month at Sephora and I can't say enough good things about his double-sided products.

DV's LIGHT UP MASCARA
I find myself mesmerized in the mornings as I watch women deftly applying mascara on the subway. I really like DV Mascara because it's a luscious black mascara that lengthens and isn't clumpy. DV Mascara has a mirror on the side of the tube and a light up mechanism in the wand so you can apply your makeup in the dark (or the subway) if you need more lighting to see your lashes.

PURMINERALS POUT PEN
Another lovely lip gem I've come across recently is purminerals Pout Pen Lips Stain and Hydrating Balm These great 2-in-one double sided lip pens (one side saturated lip pen for a flawless pout, the other a light lip balm) come in some great colors like Cosmo, MaiTai, Fuzzy Navel and Sangria.

PURMINERALS DOUBLE EGO DUAL ENDED EYELINER
Another great 2-in-one product, the purmineral Double Ego Eyeliner dry mineral tip gives you the option of an everyday or smoky look, while the liquid liner glides on for a bold, intense color.

SLIP SILK PILLOWCASE
Andrew Wyeth talked about the faded pink dress that Christina posed in for him as reminding him of a faded lobster shell you'd find on the beach. I love this description and felt inspired to try out a pillowcase in a similar color from Slip, an Australian company that is now available in the U.S. Unlike cotton, Slip's silk pillow cases can hold up to 27x its own weight in water, which means it helps keep skin and hair hydrated throughout the night so you wake up looking refreshed. If you want to avoid bedhead and/or extend the life of your blowout, a silk pillowcase is the way to go.

HOW TO GET THE CLASSIC BUN LOOK
I can't think of a more perfect inspiration for this season's Big Bun look than Christina's World. There are many on-trend kinds of buns from soft heart buns to Japanese-inspired sumo knots, but my favorite is the full and classic bun like the ones Edun and Erin Fetherston showed for spring.

TrustYourStyle's CHRISTINA'S WORLD BUN TUTORIAL

Using a 1" curling iron curl your hair under--you don't need to be precise--the quicker, the better
Flip your hair over and gather into a high ponytail using an elastic ponytail holder.

Twist hair and wrap around the base to create your bun shape. (Alternatively skip curling and just braid your hair and wrap it (either loose or tight braiding will look great).

Insert bobby pins along the base of your bun and spray all over with a good firm holding hairspray and smooth down any flyaways. Orlando Pita used Phyto Professional Workable Holding Spray at the Derek Lam show to help achieve the classic American New York Woman look, and I think that pretty much fits the bill as a perfect spray to chose for the Christina's World look.So tell me, does Christina's World speak to you?
And what are your favorite spring finds?

* All quotes are from Andrew Wyeth, A Spoken Self-Portrait by Richard Meryman. If you're at all interested in Andrew Wyeth, I highly recommend this beautiful slim book that cuts right to the heart of Andrew Wyeth's personality, work and life. Composed of skillfully edited conversations Meryman had with Wyeth and some of his close family and friends, it's by far one of the best biographies I've ever read.

If you enjoyed this post, there are over 100 + more art inspired posts you can check out on the right hand index.

My dear friend Lisa, {who just lived through a UK winter} and I are always trading get-away fantasies. Hers is the Greek Isles, and after a snowy cold winter, I might have to agree. In honor of a much needed warm and exotic get-away, today's style post is inspired by my all-time favorite sculpture. This second century BC eight foot tall marble sculpture of the Greek Goddess Nike, otherwise known as the Winged Victory of Samothrace is thought to be by Pythokritos.

Discovered in 1863 on the Greek island of Samothrace (then part of the Ottoman Empire), the statue was sent back to Paris where she was displayed prominently at the Louvre and became one of the most celebrated sculptures in the world.

The sculpture's arms and head have never been discovered, which only add to her mystique and some feel that the loss of her head increases the sense of triumphant spirit. The relationship to the imaginary space around her as she strains to keep steady in a violent wind and balance on a ship's prow, broke with earlier Greek and eastern sculptures and is credited with influencing later baroque and romantic art, including Michelangelo's David two thousand years later--making her one of the greatest surviving masterpieces from the entire Greco-Roman period.

Which brings us to the present.

1. No discussion of modern day Greek beauty would be complete without a mention of of the Greek natural skin care line, Korres, which I've been a fan of for years. Recently I've been using the Lip Butter in Jasmine - it's truly heavenly with a subtle natural tint and is deeply moisturizing buttery consistency that stays on your lips.

2. Want an instant hit of classic Greek style? Set your table with Greek Key napkins by Hen House Linens and you'll be ready for a bit of chic spring entertaining. I have them in Licorice, but the Greek Key Aqua is so pretty for spring.

3. So back to island dreaming - as I mentioned, my friend Lisa has been raving about My Greek Island Home for as long as I can remember. I loved her beautiful feature interview with Claire Lloyd, author of My Greek Island Home, so I had to include it in this ode to Grecian beauty.

P.S. if you haven't checked out Lunch and Latte, make sure to swing by. I was lucky enough to sample her cooking first hand a few years ago in Luxembourg, and her eye for beauty and good taste in books, design, decor and pretty much everything...{okay she's my friend, so I'm a bit biased}. Just trust me, Lisa's blog is always a delightful read.

4. I love these Miss Albright Corset Laced flats--such a cute update on the classic Greek sandal {and much prefer them to the pointy toe versions seen around lately}. Are you on or off the upcoming gladiator sandal thing?

5. Ode To A Grecian Urn is the definitive poem about our temporal beauty and mortality in the face of everlasting art (symbolized by the Grecian urn). It fascinated me when I was in college, and it blows my mind that all these years later, the two most debated lines in all of Keat's poetry are still as much of a mystery to me as they were then...

"Beauty is truth, truth beauty," - that is all

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

Maybe the mystery is what it's all about... what do you think?Are you a fan of Nike of Samothrace?

* If you enjoyed this post, there are over 100+ Art Inspired posts you can browse. Just type art inspired fashion in the search box or click on Art Inspired Posts under Favorite Posts.

I know I promised you all kinds of goodness from NYFW and didn't deliver. The truth is, I got sick, the subways weren't working and all I have to show for it is I'm Sorry For What I Wore When I Was Cold. Needless to say, fashion week does not slow down the aging process, but I know what does...so if you want to find out or at least slow it down, keep reading!

Young Skin And How To Get It

We all know that skin starts to wrinkle after the age of 20. But why? Very simply, human skin produces a wax that holds moisture in young skin. When we hit 20, production of this natural liquid wax winds down, allowing moisture to freely escape from our plump young skin cells. They begin to lose shape and structure and outer skin layer thins and folds in on itself...cue violins.

But guess what--there's a sustainable plant that produces a wax ester that is able to put this liquid wax back into skin, and it's Jojoba.

The market is saturated with oils and "youth" serums {and I have tried many of them}. Honestly, I was smitten with this one from the moment I popped the cap and inhaled the light botanical scent. I also love the texture - it's deeply moisturizing, but light and not sticky. The low down is that this product harnesses the anti-aging powers of jojoba, which again, is not an oil, but rather a wax ester that is chemically comparable to those that form about 30% of a young human skin's moisture barrier. This potion works like a multi-vitamin for the skin, improving texture and radiance and minimizing wrinkles.

My other favorites: Jojoba Bead Facial Cleanser is on my short list of truly great cleansers. The jojoba beads release their nourishing esters and are much better for you than more aggressive scrubs that can scratch and irritate your delicate skin. Three times a week in the shower is perfect.

* p.s. I should also mention that I love that this company is part of the solution to end the relentless hunting and killing of Sperm Whales, which have long been harvested by the beauty industry for the wax ester found in their head cavity {eww--right?}. In contrast, a Jojoba shrub can live up to 300 years in semi-arid regions, is drought tolerant and needs no chemical pesticides.

* p.s.s. Just to keep things in perspective, I completely agree with this 96 year old grandma, who gave the ultimate advice about staying young and hot forever {and based on her philosophy, I'm pretty sure she would've been a fan of jojoba}.

xo Mary Jo

Love to you lovelies! I will be back soon to take you someplace dreamy warm, exotic, iconic and more. Can you guess where?

Hello friends! I know I've been gone for a very long time, but I'm back now and since we're on the cusp of New York Fashion Week and Valentines Day, I hope to make it up to you with a round up of some really amazing beauty products, and I promise--any one of these will brighten your winter routine.

I love Darphin products and have been using these three religiously for months. I like to think of this group as the triple threat. The Revitalizing Oil is the first thing I use every morning - if you have dry skin like me, then trust me, you need to try this! In my book it blows all of those BB creams out of the water. The Anti-Dark Circles Eye Illuminator truly works miracles on dark circles and the Hydraskin Rich All Day Hydrating Cream does exactly this.

1. Velvety smooth body butter anyone? Lanvanila's Healthy Body Butter in vanilla grapefruit is lush and would make a great gift for your bestie this Valentine's--of course you'll need to snag one just for you.

2. Let me count the ways I heart Pixi Shea Butter Lip Balm. Don't let the packaging fool you, this is grown up stuff and I like how it takes me right back to jr. high - tinted lip balm...sigh. I love it, what can I say?

4. This handy slim dual ended pencil, called The Wake Up Brow by PurMinerals is so much more than an eyebrow pencil. I end up using the Bright Eyes subtle pencil the most, it makes your eyes look...well brighter.

5. I truly love all things Jojoba Company and their Bead and Bamboo Facial Exfoliant is nothing short of brilliant. It gently cleans dead skin away and can be used 1-3 times weekly for extra smooth skin.

6. As crazy as it may sound, I've been a beauty editor for almost a decade and still don't wear much makeup. But when I do, Mally Volumizing Mascara in Black is what I reach for because it's natural waxes and carefully chosen powders give lashes an instant boost.

Every one of these little goodies is packed with pleasure!

* p.s. Hope you will follow along as I document New York Fashion Week with lots of pretty little fashion sketches live from NYC - more on instagram @trustyourstyle

For those of you in Southern California, I wanted to remind you about the Chen Man opening at LA Louver tomorrow from 6 - 9pm. Fashionistas you'll want to catch this show - Chen Man is considered China's foremost fashion photographer and there will be a selection of both photographs and paintings in the exhibition.

Vincent Van Gogh painted The Mulberry Tree in October, 1889 less than a year before he died. He was at an asylum in St. Remy, recovering from his fight with Paul Gauguin and the famous ear incident. He painted everything around him; the doctors, the halls, the wheat fields and the garden. It was a beautiful autumn that year and he told his brother Theo that this painting was his favorite. Despite everything he was going through, The Mulberry Tree expresses Van Gogh's interest in expressionism, his mastery of color theory, his understanding of the modern direction of painting and how he was attempting to go with it. In my mind, the painting goes deeper than the color of the leaves and has to do with change, grief, rebirth and mastery.

Inspired by Van Gogh's Mulberry Tree, here are a few enticing things I thought you might enjoy...

Lieber Gustav 14 by Krigler was F. Scott Fitzgerald's favorite scent and has beautiful rich and woody notes of black tea and lavender perfect for fall. I love it so much that Mr. TrustYourStyle received a bottle, but I'm tempted to steal it back for myself.

Hello friends! Summer has come and gone, and since we're on the cusp of the first official day of Fall, I wanted to check in and say I've missed you.

Won't you join me for a little fall reverie?

PLEASE LISTEN TO THE MUSIC: IT GOES WITH THE STORY

The other day I was in a magical little shop in Santa Fe and fell for a winter hat...

I found out that Natalie Goldberg had bought one too. Remembering her book, Writing Down the Bones made me reach through time and smile.

What is it about autumn that makes us stop and savor all the things we used to dream about?

I remember the beginning of the school year and making long lists of things I wanted to do...

places I wanted to go,

books I wanted to read.

Luckily I can't remember the things I didn't get around to. But those surprising wild leaps that happened like taking off one October for India to meet the Dalai Lama in his living room...they come floating down this time of year.

Silly things like little bright spots come to mind too.

How a preppy boy on a bicycle on a fine fall day in Berkeley would turn my head.

Above is a collection of some of my favorite pieces I've been wearing non-stop this summer. Now all I need is this teak Danish Modern lounger to complete the raspberry reverie! Make sure to click over and view all the great accent chairs on Chairish!